Mda attained global renown with Ways of Dying (1995), his seminal first novel that featured the iconic character Toloki, a professional mourner at township funerals during South Africa’s transition to democracy. In Cion, the follow-up to Ways of Dying, Mda revisits Toloki a decade later.

Mda’s writing is entrenched in African values, ethics and offers a broader view of South Africa as a complex animal with unique cultures.